Morgan Stanley Boosts Albemarle (NYSE:ALB) Price Target to $170.00

Albemarle (NYSE:ALB) had its price objective lifted by Morgan Stanley from $147.00 to $170.00 in a note issued to investors on Friday, MarketBeat Ratings reports. The firm currently has an “equal weight” rating on the specialty chemicals company’s stock. Morgan Stanley’s price target points to a potential upside of 2.15% from the stock’s previous close.

Other equities analysts have also issued reports about the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their price target on shares of Albemarle from $195.00 to $145.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday. Wells Fargo & Company upped their price objective on Albemarle from $135.00 to $174.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Monday, January 26th. Citigroup lifted their price objective on Albemarle from $180.00 to $190.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Friday. Rothschild & Co Redburn raised their target price on Albemarle from $158.00 to $185.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 10th. Finally, Dbs Bank increased their price target on Albemarle from $100.00 to $120.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, October 24th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twelve have given a Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $162.72.

Albemarle Trading Up 4.7%

Shares of NYSE ALB opened at $166.42 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 2.23, a quick ratio of 1.51 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.41. Albemarle has a 1-year low of $49.43 and a 1-year high of $195.68. The company has a market cap of $19.61 billion, a PE ratio of -28.94, a P/E/G ratio of 2.40 and a beta of 1.44. The company has a 50-day moving average of $158.16 and a two-hundred day moving average of $115.33.

Albemarle (NYSE:ALB) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, February 11th. The specialty chemicals company reported ($0.53) EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of ($0.40) by ($0.13). Albemarle had a negative net margin of 10.74% and a positive return on equity of 0.41%. The business had revenue of $1.43 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.34 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted ($1.09) EPS. The business’s revenue was up 15.9% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities analysts expect that Albemarle will post -0.04 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Geode Capital Management LLC boosted its holdings in Albemarle by 2.0% in the second quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 2,954,331 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock worth $184,782,000 after purchasing an additional 59,104 shares during the last quarter. ProShare Advisors LLC boosted its position in Albemarle by 48.5% during the second quarter. ProShare Advisors LLC now owns 2,870,110 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock valued at $179,870,000 after purchasing an additional 937,538 shares in the last quarter. Earnest Partners LLC boosted its stake in Albemarle by 14.6% in the 4th quarter. Earnest Partners LLC now owns 1,630,394 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock worth $230,603,000 after purchasing an additional 207,770 shares in the last quarter. Manning & Napier Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of Albemarle in the third quarter worth about $138,723,000. Finally, Dimensional Fund Advisors LP grew its position in Albemarle by 3.7% during the 3rd quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 1,475,832 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock worth $119,710,000 after purchasing an additional 52,698 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 92.87% of the company’s stock.

More Albemarle News

Here are the key news stories impacting Albemarle this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Revenue beat and strong Energy Storage demand — Q4 revenue topped estimates with ~16% y/y growth driven by Energy Storage volumes and pricing, a primary reason bulls cite for upside in ALB. ALB Q4 Earnings Miss, Revenues Beat on Higher Volumes & Pricing
• Positive Sentiment: Raised FY‑2026 revenue guidance — management issued a FY‑26 revenue range (~$5.7B–$6.0B) above consensus, giving investors a forward revenue anchor amid lithium price swings. Is Albemarle Setting Up for a Lithium-Fueled Rebound?
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst upside moves — Morgan Stanley and Mizuho raised price targets (to $170 and $185 respectively), signaling some sell‑side conviction on medium-term fundamentals. Morgan Stanley raises price target on Albemarle Mizuho raises price target on Albemarle
• Positive Sentiment: U.S. production support and grants — company commentary and coverage highlight DOE support (Kings Mountain reactivation) and domestic production steps that improve supply‑chain optionality. Is Albemarle Setting Up for a Lithium-Fueled Rebound?
• Neutral Sentiment: Earnings call tone — management emphasized cash strength, disciplined capacity management and flexibility across cycles; those points reduce tail‑risk but leave near‑term volatility intact. Albemarle Earnings Call: Cash Strength Amid Lithium Cycles Albemarle Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript
• Positive Sentiment: Potential policy tailwinds — the House passed H.R.3617 (Securing America’s Critical Minerals Supply Act), which could support domestic critical‑minerals investment over time. Congress Vote: The House has passed H.R.3617
• Negative Sentiment: EPS miss and wider loss — Albemarle reported a larger-than-expected Q4 loss (missed EPS estimates), a headline that keeps short-term sellers active. ALB Q4 Earnings Miss, Revenues Beat on Higher Volumes & Pricing
• Negative Sentiment: Not all analysts are bullish — JPMorgan cut its price target to $145 (neutral), a headline that can cap near‑term upside. JPMorgan adjusts price target on Albemarle to $145 from $195
• Negative Sentiment: Macro and lithium price volatility — broader market rate/volatility concerns and swings in lithium prices mean ALB can move sharply both ways; expect continued choppy trading. MarketBeat Week in Review

About Albemarle

Albemarle Corporation is a leading global specialty chemicals company primarily engaged in the production and distribution of lithium, bromine, and catalysts. Its lithium segment supplies key components used in rechargeable batteries for electric vehicles, portable electronics, and grid storage systems. The company’s bromine specialty products serve a wide range of industries, including oil and gas drilling fluids, fire safety solutions, and water treatment. In its catalysts division, Albemarle provides products for petroleum refining, chemical processing and emissions control.

Founded in 1994 as a spin-off from Ethyl Corporation, Albemarle has grown through strategic acquisitions and capacity expansions to become one of the world’s foremost chemical producers.